ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Coroners

Dominic Raab: To ask the Attorney-General in relation to how many defendants charged with criminal offences the Crown Prosecution Service has applications for the removal of the jury under Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 pending.

Nick Hurd: The Crown Prosecution Service has no applications pending for the removal of the jury under Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
	The defence have notified the CPS of their intention to appeal in a case in which an application has already been granted. The case involves one defendant.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Parliamentary Education Service

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, answering for the House of Commons Commission what materials the Parliamentary Education Service issues to  (a) schools and  (b) individual pupils; what publications the service plans to issue in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Stuart Bell: The Education Service produces a range of materials about Parliament, the work of Members (of both Houses), and political literacy generally. All resources are provided free to schools. While many of the materials are suitable for use by individual pupils, they will primarily be used in the classroom. One publication targeted at pupils directly is the young person's guide entitled 'The Houses of Parliament', which is distributed to all school-aged visitors taking a tour of Parliament.
	Resources currently in print include a new range of booklets carefully targeted at pupils from key stage 2 to key stage 4 (covering ages seven to 16) that are available for schools and Members to order. These can be used independently or as part of class study. Due for publication shortly is the last in this new series which will be a booklet for KS5 (16 to 18). There is also a set of four films on DVD, including the award winning 'Democracy? You Decide and You've Got the Power'. This will be updated shortly to reflect the 2010 general election result and is available with a teacher's booklet for three age groups. It is also available on Parliament's YouTube channel:
	www.youtube.com/UKParliament
	The Education Service re-launched its website:
	www.parliament.uk/education
	in October 2008. This provides a variety of resources which can be used online and also downloaded, including all the printed publications together with information pages, lesson plans, films, games and activities. Users can also subscribe to a monthly electronic newsletter. The Education Service will provide materials on request to Members to support their work with schools.
	Plans for the next 12 months include further interactive online resources including games and updating of existing material to reflect the result of the 2010 election. In September 2010 a new film explaining the general election will be made available to schools, replacing an existing one from the previous election.

House of Commons Staff: Pay

Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, answering for the House of Commons Commission how many officers of the House are paid salaries at a level higher than that of hon. Members.

Stuart Bell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 June 2010,  Official Report, column 293W to the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous). All the staff listed there are officers of the House.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electoral Systems

Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what plans the Electoral Commission has to publish information on different voting systems in advance of his proposed referendum on electoral reform.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it would expect to provide public information in advance of any referendum on changes to the electoral system. This is likely to include information on what the referendum is about and how to take part in the referendum. The extent and nature of any public information provided by the Commission would be determined by the relevant legislation.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Accidents: Liverpool

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the Health and Safety Executive to publish its report on the collapse of a crane on to flats at Chandlers Wharf, Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: This incident is still under investigation by inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Until HSE has made a decision as to possible legal action, they are not in a position to release a report.

Carer's Allowance

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will increase the level of the carer's allowance to £65.45 per week;
	(2)  if he will increase the carer's allowance earnings threshold to £150 per week.

Maria Miller: The Government have no immediate plans to increase the level of carer's allowance or the carer's allowance earnings limit.
	We have set out our commitment to modernise and simplify the benefit system in order to improve work incentives and encourage responsibility and fairness. We will consider carefully the needs of carers as we develop our thinking on welfare reform.
	The Chancellor announced in the emergency Budget that from 2011 the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be used to measure the growth in prices for the purposes of uprating carer's allowance. In keeping with its promise to protect people in the most vulnerable situations the Government will not implement the previous Government's policy of clawing back the 1.5% 'advance' that was applied to carer's allowance in April 2010.
	We believe that the CPI is a more appropriate and stable measure of the cost of living for recipients of carer's allowance. Under that index carer's allowance would have received an increase in 2010, not simply an 'advance' of future potential increases.

Departmental Legislation

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many officials of his Department are working on preparations for the  (a) Pensions and Savings Bill and  (b) Welfare Bill.

Chris Grayling: As at 30 June 2010, there is one full-time equivalent working on the Pensions and Savings Bill and one full-time equivalent working on the Welfare Bill.
	These people draw on additional legal and policy teams as necessary. As preparations progress we expect to increase the number of officials engaged full time on the Bills.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of young people who will not now be helped into employment following the Government's decision not to extend the Young Person's Guarantee.

Chris Grayling: The Young Person's Guarantee will be replaced next year by a new Work Programme. This will offer better targeted and integrated employment support to people who find themselves out of work, including young people. Unlike the Young Person's Guarantee, where young people are only eligible if they are claiming Jobseeker's Allowance, the new Work Programme will provide help to young people regardless of the benefit that they are claiming.

Future Jobs Fund: Yorkshire and the Humber

Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in  (a) Doncaster Central constituency,  (b) Doncaster local authority area and  (c) Yorkshire and the Humber have found employment through the Future Jobs Fund since 2008; and what estimate he has made of the number of people aged between 18 and 24 years resident in each area who will no longer be entitled to assistance under the Jobs Guarantee in the 12 months after the ending of the Fund.

Chris Grayling: The information requested on the Doncaster Central constituency and local authority area is not available. In the Yorkshire and Humber area the latest official statistics, covering the period from October 2009 to January 2010, show that 700 people were recorded as starting a job funded by the future jobs fund.
	The Young Person's Guarantee will be replaced next year by a new Work Programme. This will offer better targeted and integrated employment support to people who find themselves out of work, including young people. Unlike the Young Person's Guarantee, where young people are eligible only if they are claiming jobseeker's allowance, the new Work Programme will provide help to young people regardless of the benefit that they are claiming.

Housing Benefit: Tower Hamlets

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families resident in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets are in receipt of  (a) housing benefit,  (b) housing benefit of over £250 per week for a one bedroom property,  (c) housing benefit of over £290 per week for a two bedroom property,  (d) housing benefit of over £340 per week for a three bedroom property and  (e) housing benefit of over £400 per week for a property with four or more bedrooms.

Steve Webb: The National Statistics published in March 2010, show that in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets there were 35,570 housing benefit recipients, of which 5,200 were living in the private rented sector.
	At March 2010, for housing benefit claims in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the private rented sector assessed under the local housing allowance arrangements, our records show there were:
	fewer than five recipients with a one-bedroom entitlement receiving over £250 per week;
	530 recipients with a two-bedroom entitlement receiving over £290 per week;
	180 recipients with a three-bedroom entitlement receiving over £340 per week; and
	20 recipients with a four-bedroom entitlement receiving over £400 per week.
	 Notes:
	1. With the exception of the figure for one-bedroom entitlement, all figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 recipients.
	2. The single housing benefit extract does not have bedroom entitlement recorded in 13% of the local housing allowance cases in Tower Hamlets so there maybe some underestimation in the numbers reported.
	 Source:
	Single Housing Benefit Extract

Lone Parents: Employment

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of lone parents with disabled children of school age who returned to work in the last 12 months.

Maria Miller: The requested information is not available.

New Deal Schemes: Disability

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people resident in Don Valley constituency have found employment through the New Deal in each year since 2001.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  Jobs gained by disab l ed people( 1)  through New Deal from 2001 in the parliamentary constituency of Don Valley 
			   New Deal Young People  New Deal 25+  New Deal Lone Parents  New Deal Disabled People  New Deal 50+( 2)  New Deal Partner( 2)  Total 
			 2001 20 * * * n/a n/a 20 
			 2002 10 * * 10 n/a n/a 30 
			 2003 20 * * 10 20 n/a 50 
			 2004 10 * 10 40 20 * 80 
			 2005 10 * * 60 20 * 90 
			 2006 10 * 10 70 10 * 90 
			 2007 10 * 10 60 10 * 90 
			 2008 10 * 10 90 10 * 130 
			 2009(3) * * 10 90 10 * 120 
			 Total 100 10 50 430 100 * 690 
			 "*" = Nil or negligible. "n/a" = Not applicable. (1) Disabled people are defined as those who are on the New Deal for Disabled people and those on other New Deals identified as disabled by the disability indicator. (2) The information given is for the number of jobs gained through each spell on a New Deal. (3) Since the introduction of Provider-Led Pathways to Work, New Deal for Disabled People has been available only in Jobcentre Plus Pathways to Work districts. An individual who has had more than one spell on a New Deal may therefore appear more than once in the table. Information on spells on New Deal 50+ and New Deal for Partners is unavailable, so individual level information is given instead. This means that information is only given on one visit to each of these New Deals per individual.  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding 3. The latest New Deal figures will be affected by the introduction of the new Jobseekers Regime and Flexible New Deal (gradual implementation started from April 2009). 4. The latest data on Jobs is to November 2009. 5. The New Deal for Young People pilots began in January 1998 and full national roll-out occurred in April 1998. 6. The New Deal for 25 plus programme was introduced in July 1998. 7. The New Deal for Lone Parents was introduced in October 1998. 8. Data on New Deal for Disabled People is available from July 2001 (programme was introduced in 1999). 9. Data on New Deal 50 plus Jobs is available from April 2003 (programme was introduced in April 2000). 10. Data for New Deal for Partners is available from April 2004 (programme started in May 1999).  Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate

Unemployment Benefits: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in the London Borough of Bexley in receipt of out-of-work benefits as a result of  (a) alcohol and  (b) drug dependency.

Chris Grayling: Information about the number of people who are receiving Employment and Support Allowance or Jobseeker's Allowance as a result of drug or alcohol dependency is not available.
	The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Working age incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants in Bexley local authority with a diagnosis of alcoholism or drug abuse, at November 2009 
			   November 2009 
			 Alcoholism 80 
			 Drug abuse 60 
			  Notes: 1. Employment and Support Allowance replaced Incapacity Benefit and Income Support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 2. The primary diagnosis of incapacity on a claimant's medical certificate is recorded. 3. Employment and Support Allowance figures are not currently available by diagnosis. 4. Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation. 5. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 6. Figures shown are for working age claimants only (females aged 16 to 59 and males aged 16 to 64).  Source: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Survey.

Work Capability Assessment

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether any changes to the work capability assessment system are planned following the Department-led review of that system published on 29 March 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Department undertook an internal review of the work capability assessment which was published on 29 March 2010. The review found that generally the assessment accurately identifies individuals for benefit. The review made a number of recommendations for improving the work capability assessment. We announced on 29 June that we will be implementing those recommendations.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Nuclear Power

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the proportion of electricity to be generated from nuclear sources.

Christopher Huhne: It is for energy companies to bring forward proposals for nuclear new build without public subsidy. The Office for Nuclear Development (OND) will act to enable investment in the UK from the earliest possible date and is focused on removing potential barriers to investment. To date energy companies have announced plans to build up to 16 gigawatts (GW) of new nuclear in the UK.

Green Deal

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to introduce the proposed green deal on domestic energy efficiency; and if he will make a statement.

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to introduce the proposed green deal on domestic energy efficiency; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Andrew Stephenson) earlier today.

Carbon Emissions

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the effects of a EU-wide carbon floor price on the volume of carbon dioxide emissions.

Gregory Barker: DECC has not commissioned or undertaken any analysis on the effects of a EU-wide carbon floor price on the volume of carbon dioxide emissions.

Carbon Sequestration: Gas Fired Power Stations

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on public expenditure on the development of carbon capture and storage technology for gas-fired power stations.

Charles Hendry: We have stated that the Government will continue public sector investment in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology for four coal-fired power stations. The Committee on Climate Change has recommended that we give serious consideration to funding at least one gas CCS project as part of the programme of four projects. We are carefully evaluating whether a demonstration project on gas would prove beneficial and add value to the programme.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change by how much the budget of each of his Department's work programmes will be reduced to make savings.

Gregory Barker: It was announced on 24 May that the Department of Energy and Climate Change will contribute £85 million savings to the Government's overall savings of £6.2 billion in 2010-11. The spending plans of the Department for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15 are being considered as part of the Government's Spending Review and no decisions have been reached yet.

Departmental Public Expenditure

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to review his Department's capital funding programmes in advance of the next Comprehensive Spending Review.

Gregory Barker: The Department for Energy and Climate Change is reviewing all capital funding programmes as part of the next Spending Review, in line with the approach set out in the Spending Review Framework presented to Parliament on 8 June. This involves undertaking a fundamental review of capital spending plans, to identify those areas of spending that will achieve the greatest economic returns.

Energy: Yorkshire and the Humber

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what support his Department is giving to the development of low-carbon energy projects in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Charles Hendry: Government have provided support for a range of low carbon energy projects in the Yorkshire and Humber region as part of our wider support for low carbon technology development and deployment.
	Support ranges from direct investment-for example in the Government's provision of around £22 million to establish the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield-to support from the Carbon Trust which has worked with customers in the region to help reduce their emissions and energy bills.

Environmental Transformation Fund

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change by how much the budget of the Environmental Transformation Fund will be reduced; and which projects and programmes will be affected by those reductions.

Gregory Barker: The 2010-11 budget for the national Environmental Transformation Fund and DECC's Low Carbon Investment Funding will be cut by £34 million as part of the response to the record deficit inherited by the new Government.
	DECC is reviewing all activities funded from these budgets before finalising which activities will be cut, or scaled back.

Green Investment Bank

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's definition is of green as applied to the Green Investment Bank.

Gregory Barker: The Government are considering a wide range of options for the scope and structure of the Green Investment Bank and will put forward detailed proposals following the Spending Review.

Nuclear Power Stations: Public Expenditure

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of subsidies to the nuclear industry in each year since 1997.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 28 June 2010
	With the exception of British Energy, there have been no public subsidies to the nuclear generating sector since the privatisation of parts of the industry.
	The Government are underwriting the Nuclear Liabilities Fund, the segregated fund which meets the cost of British Energy's decommissioning and certain uncontracted liabilities to the extent that its liabilities outweigh its assets. In return, the fund received the proceeds of the sale to EdF in January 2009 of the Government's interest in British Energy, this amounted to a contribution of £4.42 billion to the fund. On current valuations, the assets of the fund exceed the liabilities.
	In terms of British Energy (privatised in July 1996), a loan facility was provided to the company in 2002 to support it through its restructuring. This loan was repaid in full with interest in December 2003 and no further drawings can be made. As a result of the restructuring which completed in January 2005, the Government have taken direct financial responsibility for BE's historic spent fuel liabilities. The following payments have been made, from Government, since restructuring to meet those historic spent fuel liabilities:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2004-05 185 
			 2005-06 189 
			 2006-07 196 
			 2007-08 205 
			 2008-09 211 
			 2009-10 212 
		
	
	The public sector nuclear sites, including the first generation of nuclear reactors have largely ceased normal operation and entered decommissioning. In April 2005 responsibility for cleaning up the legacy sites was passed to the newly created Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). These were previously owned variously by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL). These sites have always been in the public sector and the clean-up costs are recognised as public sector liabilities. BNFL's operational facilities, including the Magnox power stations, were run on a commercial basis under contracts negotiated with their customers.
	The NDA mission is fully funded by the public sector, through a mixture of direct grant and commercial income. The latter will decline over time as the remaining operational nuclear plants close and enter decommissioning. The European Commission approved the funding of NDA under the state aid rules and in the same Decision, concluded that there was no aid or subsidy to either BNFL or UKAEA.

Wind Power: Manufacturing Industries

Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he is reviewing the decision to allocate £60 million to fund port infrastructure for off-shore wind turbine manufacturing.

Charles Hendry: The Government are committed to the development of UK manufacturing to support the growing offshore wind sector. Funding for offshore wind ports infrastructure has not been selected for suspension or cancellation as part of the recent cost cutting exercise, but as with all public spending it is being reviewed in the context of the Spending Review.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Police

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with  (a) the Association of Chief Police Officers and  (b) the Association of Police Authorities on the Government's proposals to introduce a directly-elected individual to oversee the work of each police force.

Theresa May: holding answer 24 June 2010
	Ministers have had a number of discussions with both the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities about our proposals, and we will continue to do so.

Sexualisation of Young People Review

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to implement the recommendations of her Department's review of the sexualisation of young people.

James Brokenshire: In our Coalition programme for Government, we stated that we will crack down on irresponsible advertising and marketing, especially to children, and take steps to tackle the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood. The Government are currently looking at options for responding to the independent reviews that were commissioned last year as part of the previous administration's consultation on violence against women. This includes the Sexualisation of Young People Review conducted by Dr Linda Papadopoulos.

PRIME MINISTER

Andy Coulson

Tom Watson: To ask the Prime Minister whether his Director of Communications is entitled to use a car from the Government car pool.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 30 June 2010,  Official Report, column, 563W.

BP: Pensions

Gordon Banks: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the President of the United States,  (b) the Chairman of BP and  (c) others on the effect on pension funds in the UK of trends in the BP share price; what assessment he has made of the effect on such funds of those trends; and what his policy is on protecting pension funds invested in that company.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the comments made by a Downing Street spokesman following my meeting with President Obama on 27 June 2010, a copy of which is available on the No. 10 website at:
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/latest-news/2010/06/pm-holds-talks-with-president-obama-52499
	I also refer the hon. Member to my answer of 22 June 2010,  Official Report, column 141W and to my answer at Prime Minister's Questions on 23 June 2010,  Official Report, column 289.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Gambling

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2010,  Official Report, column 490W, on gambling, what records his private office keeps of his engagements with outside interest groups.

John Penrose: The Ministerial Code published by the Prime Minister on 21 May sets out the standards of conduct expected of Ministers. In particular, it requires the regular publication by Government Departments of ministerial meetings, hospitality, gifts and travel on a quarterly basis.
	I can however confirm that since 17 May, I have met with Baroness Julia Neuberger, Chair of the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (RGSB) on 3 June, Quaker Action on Alcohol and Drugs (QAAD) representing the views of faith and community groups on 17 June, and representatives of the Association of British Bookmakers on 22 June and British Amusement Catering Trades Association on 23 June.

Horserace Totalisator Board

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the ownership structure is of the Tote; what his timetable is for deciding on the future arrangements for the Tote; what his most recent estimate is of the value of the Tote; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: The Tote is a statutory corporation and the Government appoint the chairman and non-executive members of the board. The Government have the power to dispose of the Tote under powers contained in the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Act 2004, and my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, confirmed in the Budget on 22 June that the Government will, over the next 12 months, resolve the future of the Tote in a way that secures value for the taxpayer while recognising the support the Tote currently provides the racing industry.
	The Government will continue to talk to all parties with an interest in the Tote and to those with an interest in acquiring the Tote during that process. For reasons of commercial confidentiality I cannot disclose the value placed upon the Tote as to do so would harm both the Tote's business and the Government's financial interest in its disposal.

Horserace Totalisator Board

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much the Tote contributed to horse racing  (a) including and  (b) in addition to Levy payments in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: The information requested for 2007-09, is available on the Tote corporate website under financial results at the following link:
	http://corporate.totesport.com/financial/results/
	The results for 2005-06 can be found at:
	http://corporate.totesport.com/financial/agm/documents/2006.pdf

Official Hospitality: Expenditure

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on catering in each year from 1997 to 2009.

John Penrose: The amount spent with the Department's catering contractor in each year was as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2004-05(1) 113,417 
			 2005-06 202,844 
			 2006-07 176,944 
			 2007-08 198,546 
			 2008-09 223,069 
			 2009-10 180,285 
			 (1) Six months only. 
		
	
	These costs include the net cost of the staff restaurant and the cost of providing hospitality to meetings.
	Prior to 2001, the Department did not have in-house catering facilities, and catering costs were not discretely recorded. Between 2001 and 2004, in-house catering was provided by the facilities management contractor, and costs cannot now be accurately disaggregated without incurring disproportionate cost. In December 2009, the staff restaurant facility on site closed.

Olympic Games 2012: Employment

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many residents of  (a) Tower Hamlets,  (b) Hackney,  (c) Waltham Forest,  (d) Newham and  (e) Greenwich are employed at the London 2012 Olympics site; what steps his Department is taking to increase local employment opportunities; and how many jobs in the host boroughs he expects to be created by the London 2012 Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: At the end of March, the date for which the most recent figures are available, 20% of the park work force were resident in the Olympic host boroughs, with the figure for each borough as follows:
	 (a) Tower Hamlets: 201 workers
	 (b) Hackney: 133 workers
	 (c) Waltham Forest: 280 workers
	 (d) Newham: 436 workers
	 (e) Greenwich: 222 workers.
	The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and its partners have put a range of measures in place to help local people in particular access training and employment opportunities on the site. These include investing in training and apprenticeship opportunities with over 2,800 people benefiting from training, including 199 apprentices since the project began. Vacancies are offered exclusively to the host borough employment brokerages and Jobcentre Plus offices in the area for a period of 48 hours. Vacancies unfilled after this time are advertised across London for a further 24 hours and after this are made available across the UK through the national Jobcentre Plus network.
	The ODA forecasts that 30,000 people will work on the Olympic Park and Village over the lifetime of the construction programme. During games-time, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic games and Paralympic games estimates that it will require approximately 6,000 paid staff, up to 70,000 volunteers and 100,000 contracted staff.

Shops

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment has been made of the likely effects on the number of jobs in corner shops and small convenience stores which do not have a national lottery terminal of the granting to Camelot of permission to enter the bill payment and mobile telephone top-up market.

John Penrose: The Department has made no such assessment. The decision on whether to allow Camelot, the national lottery operator to undertake any ancillary activity, including offering bill payment and mobile telephone top-up facilities through national lottery terminals, is one for the National Lottery Commission (NLC).
	The NLC is currently considering responses to its public consultation on a proposal from Camelot to offer commercial services. That consultation specifically sought views on the EU/competition law considerations which may arise from the proposal.

TRANSPORT

Driving: Licensing

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency takes to ensure the accuracy of addresses on its driving licence database.

Michael Penning: To encourage compliance the change of address transaction is free of charge.
	To make it easy for customers to keep their address up to date, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency accepts notifications made online, by telephone, at the Post Office(tm) as part of the driving licence photo renewal, as well as by post. Telephone callers making general inquiries about their driver record have their address checked as a matter of course.
	The Agency also conducts an address matching comparison against a third party database before issuing driving licence photo renewal reminders.

Highways Agency

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to meet the chief executive of the Highways Agency to discuss the work of the agency.

Michael Penning: Ministers meet regularly with the chief executive of the Highways Agency and the Secretary of State is meeting the chief executive today, Thursday 1 July.

M60

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on continuation of the Lane Gain project for junctions 12 to 15 on the M60.

Michael Penning: The Government are currently undertaking a Spending Review, the outcome of which will determine the Department for Transport's budget for the period 2011-15. Once the spending review is completed, we will review all planned highways scheme and we expect to report the results of the review in the autumn.

Network Rail: Pay

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to seek a review of senior management pay at Network Rail.

Theresa Villiers: Network Rail is required under a condition of its network licence to maintain a Management Incentive Plan, which is used to determine the remuneration of its senior executives. The Plan is drawn up by the company's Remuneration Committee and must be submitted to the independent Office of Rail Regulation for approval.
	Network Rail announced on 24 June a review alongside the Office of Rail Regulation of the future suitability of its Management Incentive Plan for 2010-11. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Office of Rail Regulation have made clear that this review must be fundamental and far-reaching; and result in a framework that focuses on rewarding exceptional long-term performance.

Ports: Energy

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on enabling ports to meet the requirements of green energy production.

Michael Penning: Within the context of free market operation, and the requirement for sustainable development, the Government encourage ports to consider all the opportunities for supporting renewable energy production.

Road Signs and Markings

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to bring forward proposals to delegate the powers to control the placing of stop signs in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 to  (a) local highway authorities and  (b) parish councils; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: Although the Department for Transport has no specific plans to delegate responsibility for placing traffic signs to parish councils, the Department is reviewing traffic signs policy to see where greater flexibility can be given to local traffic authorities to remove unnecessary regulatory and administrative burdens. I will make sure the placing of stop signs is considered as part of the wider review.

Road Traffic: North West

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate was made of the cost to the economy of road congestion in the North West in the latest year for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: The 2006 Eddington Study estimated that, using the Department for Transport's National Transport Model, the direct costs of congestion to business could rise by £10-12 billion from 2003 to 2025 (in 2002 prices). Adding in the value of the lost time experienced by other travellers raises this figure to £23-24 billion per annum. This report is available at:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/transportstrategy/eddingtonstudy/researchannexes/
	Congestion in the North West in 2003 was estimated to cost business and other travellers £1.9 billion in lost time (in 2002 prices).
	These figures are based on the difference between the actual time taken to make a journey and the time that would be taken under theoretical "free-flow" conditions. They do not necessarily represent the net benefit that would result from removing congestion.

TREASURY

Child Benefit: Bishop Auckland

Helen Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mothers receive child benefit in  (a) Bishop Auckland and  (b) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency; and how many children trigger qualification for payments in each of those constituencies.

David Gauke: The latest information on the number of families receiving child benefit, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child Benefit Statistics Geographical Analysis. August 2009". This can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_benefit/chb-geog-aug09.pdf
	The constituency referred to in the question-Blackpool North and Cleveleys-was formed after August 2009 so the previous boundary of Blackpool North and Fleetwood has been used instead. The information for the new constituency would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Child Benefit: Dunfermline

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in  (a) Dunfermline and West Fife constituency and  (b) Fife local authority were claiming child benefit on the latest date for which figures are available.

David Gauke: The latest information on the number of families receiving child benefit, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child Benefit Statistics Geographical Analysis. August 2009", available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_benefit/chb-geog-aug09.pdf

Child Benefit: Lancashire

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mothers receive child benefit in West Lancashire constituency; and how many children trigger child benefit payments in that constituency.

David Gauke: The latest information on the number of families receiving child benefit, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child Benefit Statistics Geographical Analysis. August 2009", available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_benefit/chb-geog-aug09.pdf

Child Tax Credit

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many individuals to whom the child tax credit is paid in families with two earners have annual incomes of  (a) between 0 and £5,000,  (b) between £5,001 and £10,000,  (c) between £10,001 and £15,000,  (d) between £15,001 and £20,000,  (e) between £20,001 and £25,000,  (f) between £25,001 and £30,000  (g) between £30,001 and £35,000,  (h) between £35,001 and £40,000 and  (i) over £40,001;
	(2)  what methodology he uses to estimate the average income of the individual to whom child tax credits are paid in households in receipt of child tax credit with two earners.

Justine Greening: holding answer 28 June 2010
	Child tax credit is awarded on the basis of overall household income and in the case of a couple is paid to the person who has the main responsibility for the child.
	The following table shows, as at April 2010, the number of individuals to whom child tax credits are paid, who are in two-earner households, by their 2008-09 finalised income. Incomes for 2009-10 have yet to be finalised.
	
		
			  Individual income of the person in the couple who is getting paid CTC, 2008-09  Number of individuals to whom CTC is paid (thousand) 
			 £0 to £5,000 370 
			 £5,001 to £10,000 535 
			 £10,001 to £15,000 370 
			 £15,001 to £20,000 250 
			 £20,001 to £25,000 145 
			 £25,001 to £30,000 85 
			 £30,001 to £35,000 40 
			 £35,001 to £40,000 15 
			 Over £40,000 10 
			 Total 1,825 
		
	
	Based on the same information, the average income in 2008-09 for such individuals was £11,970. The total income of these families was on average £33,290.
	At Budget the Government announced that the child element of the child tax credit will be increased by £150 above indexation in 2011-12 and £60 above indexation in 2012-13.

Departmental Manpower

Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time employees there were in his Department's Euro Preparations Unit; what the annual budget of the unit was; and to which central Government departments such employees will be redeployed.

Justine Greening: The number of staff employed within the Euro Preparations Unit (EPU) from its inception until 2006 was as follows:
	
		
			   Number of staff 
			  Date  Full time  Part time 
			 March 1998 4 0 
			 March 1999 15 0 
			 March 2000 13 0 
			 March 2001 12 1 
			 March 2002 12 3 
			 March 2003 14 3 
			 March 2004 13 2 
			 March 2005 8 1 
			 March 2006 4 0 
		
	
	Since 2006 the Euro Preparation Unit's work has been undertaken by a wider Treasury team. Costs of staffing and expenditure on euro preparations have therefore been grouped within that team's overall costs and cannot be separately identified.
	The Chancellor announced at the recent emergency Budget that all work on euro preparations within Government will cease with immediate effect. The Treasury staff member working on euro preparations has been redeployed to other Treasury policy areas.

Employment: Older People

Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of those aged over 65 years are in  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time employment.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many of those aged over 65 years are in (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment. (4838)
	For the three-month period January-March 2010 it is estimated that of those aged over 65 years, 185,000 were in full-time employment and 419,000 were in part-time employment.
	These estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and are not seasonally adjusted. The LFS is a survey of residents in private households and therefore excludes people living in communal establishments such as hostels and residential homes.
	As with any sample survey, the estimates provided are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

Employment: Older People

Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the median annual income for those aged over 65 years who are in employment.

David Gauke: Information on incomes and tax from pensioner taxpayers can be found in table 3.12 "Income and tax for individuals of pension age, by gender and country" at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu-by-year.htm#314
	Estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes, of which 2007-08 is currently the latest available.

Personal Income

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to chart A2 of Budget 2010, HC6, if he will publish charts showing the effect of increases announced in the June 2010 Budget and excluding the effect of measures announced in the March 2010 Budget as a percentage of net income by income distribution for each year to 2015-16.

David Gauke: holding answer 28 June 2010
	The analysis published in the Red Book showed the impact of measures to be in place in 2012-13 compared with those in place today. The Government believe that as they have chosen to retain some of the policies they have inherited while reversing other decisions that this is the most appropriate way to present the impact of June 2010 Budget decisions.
	Analysis for years beyond 2012-13 will be more uncertain due to greater uncertainty surrounding longer term economic forecasts underpinning the model.

Pregnant Women: Grants

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mothers resident in Bethnal Green and Bow constituency received the Health in Pregnancy grant in each year since its introduction.

Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West (Tom Greatrex) on 29 June,  Official  Report, column 502W.

Private Sector: Job Creation

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Financial Statement of 22 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 166-80, what the source was for the statistics on regional private sector jobs generation cited at column 176.

Danny Alexander: The source is the Centre for Cities' June 2010 report "Private sector cities: A new geography of opportunity" (p.6). The figures are based on NOMIS 2010, Annual Business Inquiry data.
	The report can be found online at:
	http://www.centreforcities.org/index.php?id=1166

Taxation: Financial Services

Frank Dobson: To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue from the financial services sector to be foregone by the Exchequer as a result of the proposed reduction in corporation tax in each financial year to 2015-16.

David Gauke: The cost to the Exchequer of the reduction in the main rate of corporation tax are given to 2014-15 in table 2.1 of Budget 2010. The cost from financial sector companies in these years is £0.1 billion in 2011-12, £0.2 billion in 2012-13, £0.3 billion in 2013-14 and £0.4 billion in 2014-15. There is a negligible impact in 2010-11.
	The financial sector covers companies classified as 'Banking and Finance', 'Insurance and Pension' funds and 'Auxiliary Financial Services'.
	Banks will also be affected by the bank levy announced in the Budget 2010. The yield from the bank levy is estimated to be £1.15 billion in 2011-12, £2.32 billion in 2012-13, £2.5 billion in 2013-14 and £2.4 billion in 2014-15.

VAT: Newcastle upon Tyne

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the increase in expenditure of an average earning household in  (a) the UK,  (b) England,  (c) the North East and  (d) Newcastle Central constituency as a result of the increase in the rate of value added tax in the 12 months from January 2011 compared with the previous 12 months.

David Gauke: Households with similar levels of earnings can show considerable variation in the degree to which they are affected by an increase in the rate of value added tax, due to differences in composition, eligibility for benefits, or preferences for goods subject to, or not subject to, value added tax. These differences mean that it is not possible to provide a robust estimate of the average increase in expenditure for a typical household on average earnings at the UK or sub-UK level.
	However, through using survey data and aggregating this over ranges of income, it is possible to provide an estimate of the average increase in expenditure for households in specific income bands. Charts A1 and A2 in Annex A of the Budget present an estimate of the increase in expenditure by income decile, both in absolute terms (£ per annum) and as a proportion of net income, available at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_annexa.pdf

Welfare Tax Credits

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the tax credit  (a) over payments and  (b) under payments arising from the Government's proposals to (i) reduce the income disregard from £25,000 to £10,000 for two years in 2011-12 and to £5,000 from 2013-14, (ii) introduce an income disregard of £2,500 for falls in income from 2012-13 and (iii) reduce backdating of new claims and changes of circumstances to one month in 2012-13.

Justine Greening: holding answer 28 June 2010
	The following tables show these estimates after taking account of other changes to the Tax Credit system.
	
		
			  Table 1: Change in amount of overpaid tax credits due to Budget announcements 
			  £ million 
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14 
			 Reduce the income disregard from £25,000 to £10,000 for two years in 2011-12 and to £5,000 from 2013-14. +145 +155 +430 
			 Introduce an income disregard of £2,500 for falls in income from 2012-13. 0 -20 -20 
			 Reduce backdating of new claims and changes of circumstances to one month in 2012-13. 0 -15 -20 
			 Total +145 +120 +390 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Change in amount of underpaid tax credits due to Budget announcements 
			  £ million 
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14 
			 Reduce the income disregard from £25,000 to £10,000 for two years in 2011-12 and to £5,000 from 2013-14. +5 +5 +5 
			 Introduce an income disregard of £2,500 for falls in income from 2012-13. 0 -305 -310 
			 Reduce backdating of new claims and changes of circumstances to one month in 2012-13. 0 -60 -60 
			 Total +5 -360 -365

Welfare Tax Credits: Bishop Auckland

Helen Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in  (a) Bishop Auckland and  (b) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency receive tax credits.

David Gauke: The latest information on the number of families with children benefiting from Child and Working Tax Credits, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Geographical Analyses. April 2010", available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-apr2010.pdf

Welfare Tax Credits: Lancashire

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households receive tax credits in West Lancashire constituency.

David Gauke: The latest information on the number of families with children benefiting from child and working tax credits, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Geographical Analyses. April 2010", available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-apr2010.pdf

JUSTICE

Courts: Closures

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) magistrates' courts and  (b) county courts are under consultation for closure in (i) rural 50 and (ii) rural 75 constituencies.

Jonathan Djanogly: The consultation includes nine magistrates courts and five county courts in rural 50 and 38 magistrates courts and 13 county courts in rural 75 constituencies across England and Wales. The following, lists the courts concerned:
	 Magistrates courts
	 Rural 50
	Worksop
	Retford
	Brigwater
	Alton
	Guisborough
	Newark
	Coalville
	Flint
	Abergavenny
	 Rural 75
	Alnwick
	Bishop Auckland
	Goole
	Whitehaven
	Daventry
	Coleford
	Tynedale
	Lewes
	Ludlow
	Mid Sussex
	Blandford Forum
	Wisbech
	Cromer
	Market Drayton
	Oswestry
	Penrith
	Melton Mowbray
	Rutland
	Penzance
	Selby
	Skipton
	Frome
	Ely
	Liskeard
	Spalding
	Sudbury
	Thetford
	Swaffham
	Honiton
	Totnes
	Didcot
	Wantage
	Witney
	Ammanford
	Llandovery
	Cardigan
	Pwllheli
	Llangefni
	 County courts
	 Rural 50
	Worksop
	Skegness
	Grantham
	Hitchin
	Newark
	 Rural 75
	Bishop Auckland
	Goole
	Whitehaven
	Ludlow
	Haywards Heath
	Evesham
	Oswestry
	Consett
	Penrith
	Melton Mowbray
	Penzance
	Skipton
	Llangefni

Courts: Closures

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which members of the judiciary were consulted on the decision to publish a list of courts where consultation is to take place over their closure.

Jonathan Djanogly: We are currently consulting on the closure of 103 magistrates courts and 54 county courts. We welcome responses from all interested parties including the judiciary.
	Prior to the launch of the consultation a small number of senior judges were given an indication of those courts likely to appear on the list on which the Lord Chancellor has consulted. In addition, the judicial members of the HMCS Board were involved in the Board's decision to agree to the list of courts which were place before the Lord Chancellor.
	Court closures are a matter reserved for the Lord Chancellor and he will decide whether and which courts to close following the consultation.

Gary Critchley

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received on the  (a) length of time spent in prison by Gary Critchley relative to his sentence and  (b) safety of Gary Critchley's conviction; and if he will review the case of Gary Critchley.

Crispin Blunt: Several representations have been received in recent months from MPs, members of the public and from Mr Critchley himself.
	Mr Critchley is serving a life sentence for murder. He is currently detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983. His release is a matter for the Parole Board but the board will not consider his case as long as he remains lawfully detained in hospital.
	The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is the independent non-departmental public body responsible for reviewing alleged miscarriages of justice. It is open to Mr Critchley to make an application to the CCRC. If the CCRC were to consider that there was a real possibility that his conviction would not be upheld they could refer his case to the Court of Appeal. Only the Court of Appeal can quash his conviction.

Human Trafficking: Prosecutions

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people charged with human trafficking offences were subsequently prosecuted in the last 12 months.

Crispin Blunt: During 2008, latest currently available, a total of 61 persons were proceeded against at magistrates courts in England and Wales for human trafficking offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and the Asylum & Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004.
	Data for 2009 are planned for publication in October 2010.

Magistrates Courts: Ammanford

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been spent on the recent refurbishments of Ammanford Magistrates' Court.

Jonathan Djanogly: £59,000 was spent on refurbishments and maintenance work at Ammanford magistrates court in the 2009-10 financial year. With the exception of £5,000 spent on re-lamping works, the expenditure was necessary in order to secure a water-tight and structurally sound building.

Magistrates' Courts: Closures

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on what date the list of magistrates' courts proposed for closure was presented to the Board of HM Courts Service.

Jonathan Djanogly: On several occasions the Board of HM Courts Service has discussed the court estate, based on principles agreed in 2007.
	On 16 June 2010 the HMCS Board agreed that the Lord Chancellor should be invited to consult on the possible closure of 103 magistrates courts and 54 county courts.
	Court closures are a matter reserved for the Lord Chancellor and he will make a decision on whether and which courts will close following the consultation.

Rape: Greater London

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions for rape there were in (i) Haringey and (ii) London in each year since 2005.

Crispin Blunt: Information on the number of number of prosecutions and convictions for rape in London, 2005 to 2008 (latest currently available) are given in the following table.
	Court proceedings data collected centrally only provides detail on the court and police force area in which the proceedings took place, it does identify the specific location in which an offence took place. Although proceedings in criminal cases begin in magistrates' courts, the majority of cases involving rape will progress on to the Crown Court. This may be in a different location to both where the offence was committed and where proceedings were instituted. It is therefore not possible to provide the specific information requested for Haringey.
	Court proceedings data for 2009 are planned for publication in October 2010.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for rape( 1, 2) , Greater London police force area 2005-08( 3, 4) 
			   2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Proceeded against 640 589 557 567 
			 Found guilty 118 151 156 173 
			 (1) Includes: Rape and attempted rape of a female or male. (2) Includes: Conspiracies, charges of participation in offences as accessories after the fact and charges of participation in offences by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the offender. (3) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services in the Ministry of Justice.

EDUCATION

Departmental Official Cars

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the  (a) make,  (b) model and  (c) place of manufacture is of the car allocated for the use of each Minister in his Department.

Michael Gove: Ministers at the Department for Education inherited five allocated cars from Ministers in the previous Government. The full details of  (a) make,  (b) model and  (c) place of manufacture are as follows:
	
		
			  Number  Vehicle make/model  Place of manufacture 
			 1 Jaguar XJ TDVi Sovereign UK 
			 3 Toyota Prius T3 Japan 
			 1 Honda Civic ES Hybrid Japan 
		
	
	These arrangements are changing following the publication of the new Ministerial Code which contains changes that affect ministerial entitlement to travel by Government car.
	The expectation is that Ministers not in the Cabinet will use the pool service and that Cabinet Ministers who have an allocated car will wish to consider how that car might be utilised by other Ministers within the Department before calls are made on the Government Car Service Pool.
	However, the Ministerial Code states that "the number of Ministers with allocated cars and drivers will be kept to a minimum, taking into account security and other relevant considerations. Other Ministers will be entitled to use cars from the Government Car Service Pool as needed".
	The Department for Education is working with the Department for Transport and its Government Car and Despatch Agency to effect the transition to the new arrangements.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

National Security Strategy

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Leader of the House with reference to Standing Order No. 152I, what discussions he has had on the establishment of a Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

George Young: Discussions about the Committee will be taken forward in the usual way.

Members: Oaths and Affirmations

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South Antrim of 23 June 2010,  Official Report, column 291, what the scope is of the Prime Minister's re-examination of the arrangements for those who have been elected to the House to attend the House without having taken the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance; whether he plans to examine possible revisions to the Oath and Affirmation; and if he will make a statement.

David Heath: Members are required by law to take the Oath or make the Affirmation before taking part in any proceedings of the House. The Government have no plans to change these requirements.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of how the current unrest in the Kyrgyz Republic will affect operations in Afghanistan.

Alistair Burt: The International Security Assistance Force uses Manas Transit Centre to supply the mission in Afghanistan. Operations at the Transit Centre are currently unaffected by the unrest in Krygyzstan. The Provisional Government of Krygyzstan has agreed to honour all commitments, including on the Manas Transit Centre, at least until the end of the current agreement, by which point a new Parliament should be in place with which to discuss further arrangements.

Burma: Elections

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Burma on the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the forthcoming elections in that country.

Jeremy Browne: I raised Burma with ASEAN Ministers at the EU-ASEAN Ministerial on 26 May at which the Burmese Foreign Minister was present. I made clear that without the release and participation of all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's elections will not be free and fair. Our ambassador in Rangoon also raises issues of concern directly with the Burmese regime including calls for the release of all political prisoners.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and other members of the G8 discussed Burma at the summit in Canada and issued a statement urging the Burmese regime to allow for free and fair elections, to release without delay all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and to engage the democratic opposition and representatives of ethnic groups in a substantive dialogue on the way forward to national reconciliation.
	We will continue to raise our concern at the highest possible level with Burma's neighbours, in the EU, the UN and directly with the regime.

Burma: Export Controls

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the purchase by the Burmese government of dual use goods which could be used in the development of nuclear weapons; and whether he has taken steps to ensure that no such dual use goods can be exported to Burma from the  (a) UK and  (b) EU.

Jeremy Browne: We are concerned by reports suggesting that Burma may be developing a covert nuclear programme in collaboration with North Korea.
	We continue to urge Burma to act strictly in accordance with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to abide by the terms and conditions of its International Atomic Energy Agency Safeguards Agreement, and declare all nuclear material in its possession. Should there be authoritative evidence that Burma is in breach of its international obligations, the UK would raise the matter with other EU member states.
	Our ambassador to Rangoon has recently lobbied the Burmese regime on their obligations under UN sanctions and raised proliferation issues with senior members of the military. We will continue to raise our concerns at the highest possible level.
	Bilaterally the UK actively discourages trade and investment with Burma which could benefit members of, or those persons associated with, the Burmese military regime. The EU has had restrictive measures in place against Burma since 1996. The EU Council Decision (formerly an EU Common Position) was renewed for a further year in April. EU sanctions against Burma are calibrated to address the deteriorating political situation and abuses of civil and human rights by the military regime. There are at the present time no specific EU measures in place which restrict the export of machinery to Burma with a potential dual use of this nature.

Burma: Export Controls

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his German counterpart on the alleged breach by Germany of the EU Common Position on Burma through the export to that country of industrial equipment with a potential dual use in a nuclear weapons programme.

Henry Bellingham: The EU has had restrictive measures in place against Burma since 1996. EU restrictive measures against Burma are calibrated to address the deteriorating political situation and abuses of civil and human rights by the military regime. The EU Council Decision (formerly an EU Common Position) was renewed for a further year in April. There are no specific EU measures in place which restrict the export of machinery to Burma, with a potential dual use of this nature. Bilaterally the UK actively discourages trade and investment with Burma, which could benefit members of, or those persons associated with, the Burmese military regime.
	We continue to urge Burma to act strictly in accordance with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to abide by the terms and conditions of its International Atomic Energy Agency Safeguards Agreement, and declare all nuclear material in its possession. In light of the activities suggesting Burma is acting in contravention of its international obligations, the UK is seeking to raise the matter with other EU member states.
	Our ambassador to Rangoon has recently lobbied the Burmese regime on their obligations under UN sanctions and raised proliferation concerns with senior members of the military regime and we will continue to raise our concerns at the highest possible level.

Burma: Export Controls

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of assistance given by North Korea to Burma in the acquisition of nuclear weapons technology.

Jeremy Browne: We are concerned by the allegations that Burma may be developing a covert nuclear programme in collaboration with North Korea. We take such issues very seriously. We continue to urge Burma to act strictly in accordance with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to abide by the terms and conditions of its International Atomic Energy Agency Safeguards Agreement and declare all nuclear material in its possession.
	We continue to urge all countries, including Burma, to respect their obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 which clearly prohibit the export from North Korea of all items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.
	Our ambassador to Rangoon has recently lobbied the Burmese regime on their obligations under UN sanctions and raised proliferation concerns with senior members of the military regime. Burma cannot afford to risk the grave consequences of breaching the measures that have been adopted to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on allegations of the proposed expulsion by the government of Israel of Palestinian Members of Parliament, Mohammed Abu Tir, Ahmed Othwan, Mohammed Tutah and Khalid Abu Arafa from their homes in Jerusalem.

Alistair Burt: The UK is extremely concerned by recent reports of Palestinians' residency permits being revoked. We can confirm that President Abbas has requested the Israeli Government to rescind their decision.

Pitcairn Islands: Child Protection

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what child protection measures are in place to protect children on the Pitcairn Islands from convicted sex offenders.

Henry Bellingham: A Child Safety Review, commissioned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development, was completed by independent experts (including from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation) in June 2009. The Government are working to implement the recommendations made in the report for further strengthening of child safeguarding measures on Pitcairn.
	There is a significant community of professionals based full-time on Pitcairn including a community police officer seconded from the New Zealand Police Service, a family and community adviser (who is a New Zealand trained social worker), a teacher and a doctor. There is also an FCO official, stationed full-time on Pitcairn, who is engaged in safeguarding work. All professionals receive child protection training before they go to the island and there are established policies and procedures in place for handling specific child protection concerns. Most members of the island community have also attended human rights training and child protection training.
	Convicted offenders who are released on parole are subject to a number of conditions laid down by the Pitcairn Parole Commission, including restrictions on their movements and on whom they may associate with. Offenders are closely monitored by their supervision officer-the community police officer. Offenders are also obliged to participate in an Offender Treatment Programme, which is now almost completed.
	A Pitcairn Sexual Offences Ordinance (2010) has recently been introduced. This is modelled on the UK Sexual Offences Act 2003. It provides for a sex offenders register, Sexual Offences Prevention Orders and Risk of Sexual Harm Orders.
	A further review of child safety is planned for 2011.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan and Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of military waste materials have been removed from  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan since British troops entered each country; what quantities of such waste remain in each country; at what locations such waste has been treated or buried; and what the cost of treatment or burial has been in each case.

Peter Luff: The quantities of military waste material removed, remaining, treated or buried in Afghanistan and Iraq are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Afghanistan and Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 2-3W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, how much of the remainder of £27 million will be spent on  (a) remote vehicles and  (b) military working dogs.

Peter Luff: The allocation of an additional £67 million announced by the Prime Minister on 10 June 2010 to support the campaign to counter the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) threat in Afghanistan, includes more than £11 million for remote control vehicles for use by our Counter-IED teams, and approximately £2 million for enhancements to our military working dog capability.

Afghanistan and Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 2-3W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, how many vehicles of each type will be purchased with the £67 million to support the campaign to counter the improvised explosive device threat in Afghanistan.

Peter Luff: I am withholding this information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness and security of our armed forces in Afghanistan.

Armed Forces: Barnsley

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people from  (a) Barnsley East constituency and  (b) the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley are serving in (i) the Army, (ii) the Royal Navy and (iii) the Royal Air Force.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is not held centrally. I can confirm however that as at April 2010 no service personnel were stationed in Barnsley.

Armed Forces: Enfield

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people resident in  (a) the London Borough of Enfield and  (b) Enfield North constituency are currently serving in the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Navy and (iii) Royal Air Force.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is not held centrally. I can confirm however that as at April 2010 no Service personnel were stationed in Enfield.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of the  (a) Future Family of Light Armoured Vehicles programme,  (b) Tactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement programme and  (c) Future Rapid Effect System Utility Vehicles programme on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many vehicles were procured under each programme.

Peter Luff: Cost information on the Future Family of Light Armoured Vehicles (FFLAV) programme, which dates from the early 1990s, is not held in the format requested.
	The estimated costs to the public purse of the other two programmes are as follows:
	As at September 2002, the cost of the Tactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement (TRACER) Programme was some £131 million.
	The cost to date for the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) Utility Vehicle programme is £133 million.
	While no vehicles have been procured under either of the above programmes, the money invested has refined the understanding of the requirement, reduced technical risk and increased the skills of both the department and industry with specialist management and integration skills.

Defence Equipment and Support: Salaries

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed by Defence Equipment and Support at Abbey Wood; and what the cost of their salaries was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Peter Luff: On 1 April 2010, there were 21,810 staff within Defence Equipment and Support, of which 7,656 service personnel and civilian staff were employed at MOD Abbey Wood, excluding contractors' employees. The annual staff cost, excluding overtime and allowances, is approximately £330 million.

Defence: Finance

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the funding allocated to doubling the Operational Allowance will come from the  (a) reserve and  (b) defence budget.

Andrew Robathan: The operational allowance, estimated to be a total of £114 million in 2010-11, is drawn equally from the Government Reserve and the core Defence budget. This reflects the priority that this Government place on both supporting our armed forces on operations and rebuilding the Military Covenant.

Defence: Procurement

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the capacity of small and medium-sized businesses to complete the pre-qualification questionnaire for businesses wishing to tender for defence procurement contracts.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence has been working with the Office of Government Commerce and other Departments to identify and implement ways of improving access to public procurement by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This includes simplification of the pre-qualification process, and the Ministry of Defence is considering adopting a standard pre-qualification questionnaire developed by the OGC for lower-value procurements. This should reduce the administrative burden on SMEs wishing to tender for defence procurement contracts.

Departmental VAT

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the change in the level of value added tax his Department will be required to pay in financial year  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12.

Peter Luff: Departmental budgets are set on a tax-inclusive basis. Based on currently planned expenditure, the estimate of the additional expenditure required by the Ministry of Defence based on the increased level of value added tax is approximately £38 million in financial year 2010-11. Budgets for the financial year 2011-12 have not yet been set and it is not possible to estimate the impact of tax changes in that year.

France

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2010,  Official Report, column 181W, on France, for what reasons there was no accommodation cost for the Minister; and for what reasons the cost of accommodation for officials was £88.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 28 June 2010
	During my visit to France for the 70th anniversary of Dunkirk I was the guest of the Mayor of Dunkirk and did not accrue accommodation costs. Officials stayed at local accommodation at a total cost of £44 per room.

Future Large Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the first Airbus 400M will be delivered to the UK; when it will enter service; and what estimate he has made of the unit cost of each aircraft.

Peter Luff: The A400M military transport aircraft programme will be reviewed as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, but on current plans the first UK delivery is expected in 2014 and it is due to enter service with the Royal Air Force in 2015.
	I am withholding the unit cost information for commercial reasons.

Met Office

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the future of the Met Office will be considered as part the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Halton (Derek Twigg) on 9 June 2010,  Official Report, column 182W.

Met Office Review Group

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects the Met Office Review Group to meet; and whether the remit of that Group has changed since his appointment.

Andrew Robathan: The Met Office Review Group is not due to meet in the near future; however work continues on the implementation of the review's 2009 recommendations.
	The remit of the group has not changed since my appointment.

Military Aircraft: Procurement

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost of cancelling the  (a) purchase of the RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft and  (b) Future Rapid Effect System Specialist Vehicles contract.

Peter Luff: The overall cost of the RC-135 Rivet Joint Project, through life, is circa £1.2 billion and at this early stage of the project life cycle any cancellation costs would be a small fraction of this. Rivet Joint is being acquired through the US Foreign Military Sales process which allows customers to withdraw at any time on payment of all costs incurred to date, and any unavoidable liabilities held by the US Government and its contractors.
	On 1 July 2010, the Ministry of Defence announced that a demonstration phase contract for Specialist Vehicles had been signed. The cost of a subsequent cancellation would be agreed with the contractor with the Department paying fair and reasonable costs and liabilities at the time of the cancellation.

Nuclear Weapons: Decommissioning

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to dispose of obsolescent and surplus nuclear weapons.

Peter Luff: The UK does not have any obsolescent or surplus nuclear weapons that require disposal.

Radioactive Materials

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2010,  Official Report, column 470W, on radioactive materials, what security and safety standards apply to the storage and transport of each different class of special nuclear materials.

Peter Luff: The security standards that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) applies to the storage and transportation of the various categories of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) are consistent with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines such as 'The Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials and Nuclear Facilities'. These security standards are designed to protect Defence Nuclear Material against unauthorised access and malicious acts. I am withholding specific details as their publication would be likely to prejudice national security.
	On the safety standards applied to storage and transportation, the relevant policy is contained within Joint Service Publication (JSP) 518 'Regulation of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Programme' and JSP 538 'Regulation of the Nuclear Weapon Programme'. For the storage of SNM, the standards applied are the same as those applied to civil nuclear installations under nuclear site licensing. For the transport of SNM, the JSPs cite the IAEA publication 'Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material', which forms the technical basis of legislation covering the transport of radioactive materials in the UK.
	Where exemptions or derogations from the legislation apply, it is MOD policy to introduce standards and management arrangements that are, so far as reasonably practicable, at least as good as those required by the legislation.

SCOTLAND

Video games

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effects of the taxation regime for the computer games industry on the industry in Scotland.

Michael Moore: I have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a variety of subjects. The June 2010 Budget announced major reforms to business taxation, designed to make the UK the most competitive corporate tax regime in the G20. The video games industry is well placed to benefit from these changes.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Manpower

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff are employed full-time by his Department in the  (a) water, sanitation and hygiene,  (b) health and  (c) education sectors; and if he will provide a breakdown of staff numbers by country offices.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not hitherto held a central record of staff broken down by the categories specified. A significant number of DFID programme staff and professional advisers work across different sectors and multi-disciplinary teams. It is therefore not possible to answer the question as stated without incurring disproportionate costs.
	DFID is currently working towards publishing details of staff positions from October 2010 in line with the Prime Minister's recent announcement on transparency across Government.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to assist vulnerable and developing countries to support an ambitious global climate change deal.

Andrew Mitchell: In "The Coalition; our programme for government", the Government laid out our commitment to "exploring ways of helping the poorest developing countries to take part in the international climate change negotiations". The Department for International Development (DFID) will take this agenda forward and is currently considering ways to put this commitment into action.
	I recently affirmed the UK's Fast Start commitment of £1.5 billion for the period 2010-12, which will help developing countries to adapt to climate change, adopt clean technology and reduce emissions from deforestation.

Developing Countries: Fossil Fuels

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2010,  Official Report, column 557W, on developing countries: fossil fuels, if he will take steps to end support for fossil fuel extraction and transport projects by multilateral development banks.

Andrew Mitchell: I am currently reviewing my Department's position regarding the energy lending of the multilateral development banks in the light of our commitment to poverty reduction and tackling climate change and will set out our position in due course.

Peru: Forests

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department is giving to  (a) sustainable forestry management projects and  (b) projects to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation in Peru.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) is providing £3.7 million (2008-12) to Global Witness to increase transparency in the management and governance of forests in four countries, including Peru. With this support representatives of the 1,300 indigenous communities that inhabit over 12 million hectares of forest have participated in the development of a new national forest law to be approved this year. This support is also enabling civil society to monitor forest sector transparency and legally ask the Government of Peru for access to information on industrial forest concession allocation.
	DFID has provided funding to the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), which has trained Peruvian loggers to improve their harvesting techniques, and helped the national forestry department develop community forest management.
	DFID also finances the World Bank-administered Forest Investment Programme and Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Peru has applied for support from both of these funds.

CABINET OFFICE

Deaths: Cervical Cancer

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of deaths from cervical cancer occurred in women  (a) over the age of 60,  (b) between 30 and 59 and  (c) under 30 years in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what proportion of deaths from cervical cancer occurred in women (a) over the age of 60, (b) between 30 and 59 and (c) under 30 years in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. (4925)
	The table attached provides the number and per cent of deaths where cervical cancer was the underlying cause of death in England and Wales, in women aged (a) 60 years and over, (b) between 30 and 59 years and (c) under 30 years, for the years 2001 to 2009 (the latest year available).
	The number of deaths registered in England and Wales each year by sex, age and cause are published annually on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15096
	
		
			  Table 1: The number and percentage of deaths where cervical cancer was the underlying cause, by age, England and Wales, 2001 to 2009( 1, 2, 3, 4) 
			  Deaths (females) 
			   Number  Percentage( 5) 
			   0 to 30  30 to 59  60+  All ages  0 to 30  30 to 59  60+  All ages 
			 2001 22 416 608 1,046 2 40 58 100 
			 2002 14 389 600 1,003 1 39 60 100 
			 2003 25 351 577 953 3 37 61 100 
			 2004 18 370 563 951 2 39 59 100 
			 2005 16 360 541 917 2 39 59 100 
			 2006 24 332 475 831 3 40 57 100 
			 2007 28 341 451 820 3 42 55 100 
			 2008 26 330 474 830 3 40 57 100 
			 2009 25 311 494 830 3 37 60 100 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code C53.  (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.  (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.  (4) Deaths registered in 2009 are provisional.  (5) Deaths from cervical cancer in each age group as a percentage of all deaths from cervical cancer.

Job Creation: Leeds

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many new jobs have been created in the private sector in Leeds North West constituency in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many new jobs have been created in the public sector in Leeds North West constituency in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many new jobs have been created in the public sector in Leeds North West constituency in each of the last five years; and how many new jobs have been created in the private sector in Leeds North West constituency in each of the last five years. (5157 & 5156)
	Statistics regarding the number of new jobs created are not available.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment and unemployment are available from the NOMIS website at
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

National Citizen Service

Edward Timpson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he plans to introduce a National Citizen Service.

Nick Hurd: Full details of this programme will be announced by the Cabinet Office later this year, with a launch expected in 2011.

New Businesses: Barnsley

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many new businesses were started in  (a) Barnsley East constituency and  (b) the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley during 2009-10.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many new businesses were started in (a) Barnsley East constituency and (b) the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley during 2009-10.
	Annual statistics on business births, deaths and survival arc available from the ONS release on Business Demography at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	Data are only available for 2008 and are for the ward areas that cover the new constituency of East Barnsley.
	
		
			  Count of enterprise births for 2008 in Barnsley East parliamentary constituency and Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley 
			   Number 
			 Barnsley East 245 
			 Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley 695

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Community Infrastructure Levy

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for the future of the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Greg Clark: The Government are currently considering the future of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). We will make a public announcement shortly.

Fire Services: Retirement

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on raising the retirement age for firefighters.

Bob Neill: There is no compulsory retirement age for firefighters and age discrimination legislation applies to the fire and rescue service.

Housing: Construction

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to reward councils for allowing housing developments by changing the distribution of the Revenue Grant; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: We are committed to increasing housing supply and seeing more of the homes that people want, in the places that people want them, to meet Britain's housing need. The coalition agreement set out our clear intention to provide incentives for local authorities to deliver sustainable development, including new homes and business. I will set out further details of the timetable for introducing incentives in due course.

Housing: Construction

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to issue new planning guidance to councils to encourage housing development.

Bob Neill: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to the leader of each local authority in England on 27 May to reaffirm our commitment to abolish Regional Strategies and return decision making powers on housing and planning to local councils. Decisions on housing supply will rest with local planning authorities without the framework of regional numbers and plans.
	The coalition agreement makes a clear commitment to providing local authorities with real incentives to build new homes. Local authorities which take action now to consent and support the construction of new homes will receive direct benefit from their actions.
	Our coalition agreement also states that we will publish and present to Parliament a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development.
	We will make an announcement on how we propose to take forward our incentive plans and the national planning framework and the implications for specific areas of planning policy.

Housing: Construction

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department is providing to people who wish to build their own houses; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS3) provides planning guidance on the development of housing. PPS3 applies to all types of developers, including people who wish to build their own homes.
	We have committed, in the Coalition Government document The Coalition: our programme for government, to publish and present to Parliament a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development and work is proceeding on this within my Department.

Housing: East of England

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what figures  (a) Suffolk Coastal District Council and  (b) Waveney District Council submitted to his Department for the formulation of option 1 of the East of England housing strategy.

Bob Neill: The equivalent to 'option 1' is the draft East of England Plan Review, published in January 2010, which suggests targets of 290 dwellings a year for Waveney and 440 dwellings a year for Suffolk Coastal, excluding the Ipswich Policy Area.
	I would stress that local planning authorities are best placed to determine how to meet their ambitions for housing. They may retain the housing targets set out in the soon to be revoked Regional Strategies or they may decide to review these.

Local Government Finance

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 15-17WS, on the local government savings pledge, if he will  (a) undertake and  (b) publish an impact assessment of the effect of the in-year reductions to grant funding to local authorities on (i) businesses, (ii) levels of growth and (iii) levels of employment in (A) Nottingham, (B) Nottinghamshire and (C) the East Midlands.

Bob Neill: Tackling the UK's record deficit is the Government's top priority and we believe that it is right that local authorities make a contribution to the efficiency savings of £6.2 billion in 2010-11. We have adopted a fair approach to the reductions in grants and funding streams and have limited the amount councils, including those in the East Midlands lose. The impact on their area of the reductions in grants this year will be for those local authorities to decide. We have ensured that councils, including those in the East Midlands, are able to deliver essential frontline services by making no changes to the £29 billion they receive through Formula Grant and by increasing flexibility for local spending decisions through removing restrictions on how they spend their money.

Local Government Finance

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he proposes to inform  (a) Sheffield City Council and  (b) other local authorities of their in-year reductions in grants from his Department.

Bob Neill: The reduction in grants for individual local authorities for which final allocations had been announced is set out in the document made available to the House at the time of the written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 15-17WS. The document sets out the main revenue allocations paid to each local authority including formula grant and area based grant.
	Further to the ministerial statement, my Department wrote to all local authorities chief executives, on the same date, providing specific details of the reductions of grants as they affect individual local authorities.

Local Government Finance: North East

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to his written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 15-17WS, on the local government savings package, if he will  (a) commission and  (b) publish an assessment of the effects on (i) businesses, (ii) economic growth and (iii) employment levels in the North East of the in-year reductions in grant funding to local authorities.

Bob Neill: Tackling the UK's record deficit is the Government's top priority and we believe that it is right that local authorities make a contribution to the efficiency savings of £6.2 billion in 2010-11. We have adopted a fair approach to the reductions in grants and funding streams and have limited the amount councils, including those in the North East, will lose. The impact on their area of the reductions in grants this year will be for those local authorities to decide. We have ensured that councils, including those in the North East, are able to deliver essential frontline services by making no changes to the £29 billion they receive through Formula Grant and by increasing flexibility for local spending decisions through removing restrictions on how they spend their money.

Official Hospitality: Expenditure

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on catering in each year from 1997 to 2009.

Bob Neill: The Department has spent the following with its facilities management supplier on catering since 2006. Figures for earlier years could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2006-07 591,619 
			 2007-08 497,886 
			 2008-09 459,939 
			 2009-10 314,557

Planning

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make revisions to Planning Policy Guidance 3 to allow for the revocation of planning consents previously granted.

Bob Neill: Local planning authorities already have powers to revoke or modify planning permissions, but use them rarely and exceptionally. Local authorities are liable for compensation to applicants for abortive expenditure and any other loss or damage resulting from such action. A key tenet of the planning system is that once planning permission has been granted the applicant should be able to proceed with certainty.

Regional Planning and Development

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects his review of successor arrangements to regional development agencies to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The Secretaries of State for Communities and Business issued a joint statement to the House on 29 June 2010,  Official Report, column 34WS, in which they called for local councils and businesses to send proposals to Government on how they would like to form local enterprise partnerships to replace the regional development agencies. Further details will be published in the Government White Paper on economic development later this summer.

Regional Planning and Development

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce the replacement of the regional spatial strategy system of planning; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: We are absolutely committed to abolishing regional strategies. We are keen to move in advance of legislation and are currently considering revoking regional strategies ahead of taking legislation through Parliament. We will make a statement shortly.

Social Rented Housing

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to ensure  (a) local authority and  (b) private sector tenants have greater security of tenure.

Andrew Stunell: As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Local Government said in this House on 10 June 2010,  Official Report, column 451, we will respect the tenures of social tenants. The vast majority of social tenants have a very secure degree of tenancy.
	We believe that the existing legislative framework covering the private rented sector achieves the right balance between the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants. In the past, excessive regulation of the sector led to a severe contraction as landlords sold up and left. Particularly in the current financial climate, we would not want to make changes that would discourage growth in the sector and risk rising private sector rents and reduced choice for tenants. That would not help low income households who rely on private renting for their homes.

Social Rented Housing

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to review security of tenure for social tenants.

Andrew Stunell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Local Government on 10 June,  Official Report, column 451.

Tenant Services Authority

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable he has set for the abolition of the Tenant Services Authority.

Grant Shapps: The Government are reviewing the role and purpose of the Tenant Services Authority and the framework for social housing regulation, in line with our commitment to reduce the number of quangos and cut unnecessary regulation. The review will conclude as quickly as possible.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local authority had the lowest percentage  (a) increase and  (b) decrease in the number of people on its electoral register in the last two years.

Mark Harper: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking which local authority had the lowest percentage  (a) increase and  (b) decrease in the number of people on its electoral register in the last two years (4363).
	The local authority with the lowest percentage increase in the number of people registered to vote in local elections from 2007 to 2009 is Hartlepool Unitary Authority, with an increase of 0.33 persons per 1,000 voters.
	The local authority with the lowest percentage decrease in the number of people registered to vote in local elections from 2007 to 2009 is Cardiff Unitary Authority, which decreased by 0.18 persons per 1,000 voters.
	The latest year for which electoral registration data are available is 2009. These changes have been expressed as increases or decreases per 1,000 people because the numbers involved are too small to helpfully express as percentages.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Tom Watson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to answer  (a) Question 226, on the Committee on Nuclear Deterrence and Security tabled on 25 May 2010,  (b) Question 291, on departmental official cars, tabled on 25 May 2010 and  (c) Question 576, on the use of Chevening, tabled on 26 May 2010.

Nicholas Clegg: holding answer 22 June 2010
	I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 29 June 2010,  Official Report, column 532W on departmental official cars and 30 June 2010,  Official Report, column 563W on Chevening.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 17 June 2010,  Official Report, column 519W on the Committee on Nuclear Deterrence and Security.

HEALTH

Arthritis: Health Services

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions officials in his Department have had  (a) with NHS organisations and  (b) the National Audit Office on the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard for people with rheumatoid arthritis; and what assessment has been made of the effects on people with rheumatoid arthritis of the introduction of that standard.

Paul Burstow: During the National Audit Office's field work for the value for money report "Services for people with rheumatoid arthritis", Departmental officials provided referral to treatment data to the National Audit Office to inform the study.
	Latest data show that in April 2010, the average (median) waiting time from referral to treatment was 3.4 weeks for rheumatology patients admitted to hospital for treatment and 5.7 weeks for rheumatology patients whose treatment did not require an admission to hospital. Rheumatology is the treatment function category into which most rheumatoid arthritis patients will fall.
	The revised NHS Operating Framework for 2010-11, published on 21 June, removed the burden politically determined central performance management of the 18 weeks waiting times target by the Department. The Department will continue to publish and monitor referral to treatment data. This will incentivise providers and commissioners to work together to keep clinically unjustified waits down and to tackle unnecessary variation.
	Targets that were not grounded in clinical evidence had unintentional consequences and fettered clinical judgments and autonomy. The Government are determined to liberate clinicians and empower patients to deliver better outcomes.
	Officials have not held discussions with national health service organisations on the 18 week referral to treatment standard for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis: Health Services

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to conduct a formal evaluation of self-management programmes provided by the NHS to patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Paul Burstow: It is the responsibility of commissioners of healthcare services to ensure that their populations have access to and information about the services available to them. "Your Guide to local health services" enables primary care trusts to ensure that patients receive local information about services including support for self care.
	At a national level, NHS Choices provides people living with long term conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, with information about the choices that should be available to them locally to enable them to self care in partnership with health and social care professionals.
	The Expert Patient Programme Community Interest Company has developed a training course specifically on rheumatoid arthritis that is co-delivered by a lay person with rheumatoid arthritis and a rheumatology specialist nurse. The programme will be available nationally and is supported by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.
	The Department currently has no plans to conduct a formal evaluation of self-management programmes provided by the national health service to patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis: Health Services

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the number of rheumatoid arthritis specialist nurses working in the NHS; how many rheumatoid arthritis specialist nurses he expects to be working in the NHS in 2012; with reference to the oral evidence taken before the Public Accounts Committee on 23 November 2009, on services for people with rheumatoid arthritis, HC 46, Session 2009-10, what the evidential basis is for the expectation that the number of specialist rheumatoid arthritis nurses in the NHS is increasing; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The expectation that the number of rheumatology specialist nurses is increasing is based on the rounded care model for rheumatoid arthritis which is built around a multidisciplinary team approach. Multidisciplinary teams within rheumatology services see some of the functions traditionally carried out by consultant rheumatologists appropriately transferred to other members of the team, such as specialist nurses.
	National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guideline 79 "The management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults" makes the multidisciplinary team, including a specialist nurse, a key priority for implementation.

Arthritis: Health Services

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the oral evidence taken by the Committee of Public Accounts on 23 November 2009, on services for people with rheumatoid arthritis, HC 46, Session 2009-10, what progress his Department's Acting Director-General for Commissioning and System Management has made in responding to the request made in question 21 to investigate the potentially adverse effects of commissioning decisions on patient care in the rheumatology specialty; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Department's policy is clear-all patients should be treated without unnecessary delay according to their clinical need, it is for doctors to determine a patient's clinical priority, and patients should not experience undue delay at any stage of their treatment pathway. It is important, therefore, that services match their capacity with demand so that no patient waits unnecessarily to be seen whether for their first appointments or for follow up appointments.
	Data published by the Department of Health looking on an all speciality basis shows that the ratio of subsequent attendance (follow-up) to first out-patient appointment has remained broadly stable over the last three years at around two (subsequent attendances) to one (first out-patient appointment).
	 Source:
	Department of Health Monthly Activity Return (MAR) and Quarterly Activity Return (QAR)

Dementia: Health Services

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made in implementation of the National Dementia Strategy;
	(2)  what plans he has to improve dementia care; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We plan to build on the National Dementia Strategy published on 3 February 2009 by accelerating the pace of improvements through a greater focus on delivery and local accountability and through empowering citizens to hold local organisations to account. This process will be aided by driving up quality standards through a tariff for dementia patients, better regulation of providers, improving commissioning processes to deliver greater efficiencies and through national health service and public health interventions having a greater focus on outcomes for individuals.
	Additionally, revisions to the NHS Operating Frameworks for 2010-11 identified dementia as an area for local prioritisation. It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to decide locally how best to deliver the national requirements and local priorities set out in the NHS Operating Framework including the National Dementia Strategy. Local PCTs are asked to publish their plans for implementing the strategy.
	In order to gauge progress overall in implementing the National Dementia Strategy, the Department is undertaking a national audit of dementia services. We will use the data from this, alongside information from locality action plans prepared by local authorities and PCTs in March 2010, in order to focus on where action is required to accelerate implementation of the Strategy.
	In addition, the Department is updating the current implementation plan for the National Dementia Strategy to ensure that it is focussed on those areas that will have the most impact on the lives of people with dementia and their carers. These include; promoting early diagnosis and referral with general practitioners, care of people in hospital and care homes with dementia and reduction of the prescribing of anti-psychotic medication to people with dementia.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many of his Department's contracts with its suppliers are under review as a result of the recently announced reductions in public expenditure; and what the monetary value is of all such contracts which are under review;
	(2)  how many officials in his Department are working on renegotiating contracts for the supply of goods and services to the Department as a result of recently announced reductions in public spending; what savings are expected to accrue to his Department from such renegotiations; how much expenditure his Department will incur on such renegotiations; and when such renegotiations will be completed.

Simon Burns: The Department works with its suppliers on an ongoing basis to maximise value for money and continual service improvement in the delivery of its contracts.
	From May 2010, the Department has targeted categories of spend worth approximately £19.5 million in the first instance-this is for information and communication technology (ICT) products and services, travel, office supplies and catering. The breakdown of this figure is:
	1. ICT products and services-£6 million
	2. Travel, office supplies and catering-£13.5 million
	Officials have met, or are planning to meet, the current suppliers of each of these services to agree where additional monetary savings on expenditure can be derived. It is likely that the Department's suppliers will also be engaged in discussions with Cabinet Office and Office of Government Commerce colleagues relating to cross-Government savings opportunities where the supplier provides services to a number of Government Departments.
	The Department is also represented on the existing procurement Category Boards and Working Groups led by the Office of Government Commerce and Cabinet Office. The Department will fully support the Government's plans to support increased efficiency savings through procurement.
	The Department estimates that five officials are spending a proportion of their time working on the renegotiation of existing contracts. It is not possible at this stage to provide a savings figure, how much expenditure will be incurred or when such renegotiations will be completed.

Drugs: Finance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost savings to the NHS attributable to parallel trading in each of the last three financial years;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the effect on NHS costs of manufacturers' quotas on medicines and drugs and of restrictions on the parallel importation of drugs and medicines in the last three years.

Simon Burns: Costs and savings to the national health service attributable to parallel trading and manufacturers' quotas are not separately identifiable. The Department is unaware of any restrictions placed on the parallel importing of drugs and medicines.

Drugs: Finance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with pharmaceutical manufacturers on their quotas for the supply of medicines and drugs to the NHS in England.

Simon Burns: Departmental officials regularly meet with supply chain and manufacturer representatives to discuss issues affecting the supply of medicines.

Hearing Impairment

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require personal music players sold in the UK to have a health notice forming part of the permanent casing warning users of the potential danger to their hearing of playing them too loudly; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: There are no plans to require personal music players sold in the United Kingdom to have a statutory health warning. The safety and regulation of consumer products, such as personal music players is, within government, primarily a matter for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.

Hospitals: Admissions

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the additional cost to NHS trusts of paying hospitals for the treatment of individual patients according to their subsequent re-admission for the same condition.

Paul Burstow: Given that emergency re-admissions into hospitals have increased from 359,719 in 1998-99 to 546,354 in 2007-08(1), we have decided that from 1 April 2011 hospitals will not receive further payment for avoidable re-admissions within 30 days of discharge. No formal estimate has been made by the Department. Officials are working on the detail of this change.
	(1 ) Source:
	Compendium of clinical and health indicators, National Centre for Health Outcomes Development, October 2009.

Hospitals: Greater London

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of average waiting times to be seen at the accident and emergency department at  (a) the Royal Free Hospital,  (b) Whittington Hospital,  (c) University College London Hospital and  (d) St Mary's Hospital, Paddington in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Information is not collected in the format requested.
	Information is held at the level of trusts and information is not available for specific hospital sites. The following table sets out the mean and median time spent between arrival and departure in accident and emergency (A&E) departments for Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in 2008-09 (latest data available).
	
		
			  Minutes 
			  Hospital provider  Mean duration to departure  Median duration to departure 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 182 156 
			 The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 164 169 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 143 139 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 155 127 
			  Notes: 1. An attendance is a record for every patient that attends an A&E department, including a major A&E department, single specialty A&E departments, walk-in centres and minor injuries units. Any one patient can have multiple attendances, which may be in the same or different time periods, for the same or different condition. 2. Duration to Departure: The time (expressed as a whole number of minutes) between the patients arrival and the time the A&E attendance has concluded and the department is no longer responsible for the care of the patient. 3. A&E Data Quality: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by a number of NHS providers across England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seek to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. The A&E HES publications addresses some of the key data quality and coverage issues. These are available on HESonline at: www.hesonline.nhs.uk  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Lung Cancer: Screening

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the results of the Health Technology Assessment's pilot study undertaken as part of the UK Lung Cancer Screening Trial; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Department's current expectation is that the United Kingdom lung cancer screening trial pilot study will start in early 2011. The result of the study is likely in these circumstances to be published in the second half of 2013.

Pharmacy: Standards

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the number of patients who had to wait more than 48 hours to be dispensed medicines after presenting prescriptions to a pharmacy or dispensing doctor in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the wholesale and retail pharmaceutical sector of manufacturers' quotas for the supply of medicines and drugs in England.

Simon Burns: We are aware of various issues that are causing supply difficulties and delays to the dispensing of some medicines and manufacturers, wholesalers and pharmacists are making additional efforts to ensure patients get their medicines when they need them. While no assessment has been made of the number of patients affected by these issues, the Department continues to work collaboratively with supply chain organisations to explore further measures to help alleviate the situation.

Stomach Cancer

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of newly-diagnosed patients with stomach cancer who are recommended for treatment; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people were diagnosed with stomach cancer in the last year for which figures are available; and of those how many people were  (a) tested for HER2 positive status and  (b) found to be HER2 positive.

Paul Burstow: The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of stomach cancer are for the year 2007, in which 6,330 people were diagnosed. In 2008-09, the number of finished admission episodes (FAEs) where the primary diagnosis was stomach cancer was 22,251.
	An FAE is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	It is for individual clinicians to recommend appropriate treatments for patients based on the available evidence. To assist clinicians, in 2001 the Department published "Improving Outcomes in Upper Gastro-intestinal Cancers", which set out recommendations on how services for patients with upper gastro-intestinal cancers, including stomach cancer, should be organised in order to ensure the best outcomes.
	The information is not held in the format requested. Information concerning the proportion of newly diagnosed stomach cancer patients who are recommended for treatment is not collected centrally, and neither is information concerning how many people diagnosed with stomach cancer in the latest year for which figures are available were tested for HER2 positive status and were found to be HER2 positive.

Strokes: Health Services

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much funding his Department has allocated for the implementation of the National Stroke Strategy in 2010-11;
	(2)  whether he expects changes to be made to the level of funding for the implementation of the National Stroke Strategy in 2010-11.

Simon Burns: Funding of the stroke strategy has largely been provided through primary care trust baseline allocations which were increased to take account of the demands of implementation. It is for the national health service locally to decide how best to invest resources to meet the strategy's objectives. When the strategy was published, additional central funding was also made available. Of this, £34 million is earmarked for 2010-11 and currently there are no plans to increase or decrease this.

Strokes: Health Services

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to publish an evaluation of the progress made on implementing the National Stroke Strategy.

Simon Burns: Progress with implementation of the stroke strategy is kept under review. In February, the National Audit Office published a comprehensive report on the progress in improving stroke care following the 2007 stroke strategy and this gives the information we need at this point in time. Options for a longer evaluation will be considered in due course.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business Services Association

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials within his Department have met the Business Services Association since his appointment.

Mark Prisk: I have not met the Business Services Association since I took office; Ceri Smith, Director of this Department's Business Environment and Growth Directorate, met the Association on 26 May.

Colleges Renewal Grant

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  with reference to the letter to hon. Members from the Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning dated 21 June 2010, which colleges will receive a share of the renewal grant;
	(2)  with reference to the letter to hon. Members from the Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning dated 21 June 2010, which colleges will be entitled to apply for a share of the enhanced renewal grant.

John Hayes: There are 158 colleges eligible to receive a share of the renewal grant. These colleges are listed as follows. These very same colleges are also eligible to apply for a share of the enhanced renewal grant.
	 Eligible colleges
	Abingdon and Witney College
	Accrington and Rossendale College
	Amersham and Wycombe College
	Askham Bryan
	Aylesbury College
	Barking College
	Barnfield College
	Basingstoke College of Technology
	Bedford College
	Bexley College
	Bicton College
	Blackburn College
	Blackpool and the Fylde College
	Boston College, Lincolnshire
	Bournemouth and Poole Further Education College
	Bradford College
	Bridgwater College
	Brockenhurst College
	Brooklands College
	Brooksby Melton College
	Burton College
	Bury College
	Cambridge Regional College
	Capel Manor College
	Carlisle College
	Carshalton College
	Central Bedfordshire College
	Chelmsford College
	Chesterfield College
	Chichester College
	Cirencester College
	City College Brighton
	City College Plymouth
	City of Bath College
	City of Sunderland College
	City of Wolverhampton College
	Cleveland College of Art and Design
	College of Harringey, Enfield and North East London
	College of West Anglia
	Craven College
	Dearne Valley College
	Derwentside College
	Dudley College
	Eastleigh College
	Fareham College
	Farnborough College of Technology (FCOT)
	Fircroft College of Adult Education
	Grantham College
	Greenwich Community College
	Grimsby Institute
	Guildford College of Further and Higher Education
	Hackney Community College
	Halesowen College
	Harlow College
	Harrow College
	Hartpury College
	Havering College of Further Education
	Henley College, Coventry
	Hereford College of Arts
	Hereward College, Coventry
	Hillcroft College
	Hopwood Hall College
	Hugh Baird College
	Hull College
	Huntingdonshire Regional College
	Isle of Wight College
	Joseph Priestley College
	Kensington and Chelsea College
	Kidderminster College
	Kingston College
	Kingston Maurward College
	Knowsley Community College
	Lakes College West Cumbria
	Lancaster and Morecambe College
	Leeds College of Art and Design
	Leeds College of Building
	Leek College of Further Education and School of Art
	Lewisham College
	Lincoln College
	Loughborough College
	Lowestoft College
	Mary Ward Centre (The)
	Mid Cheshire College
	Milton Keynes College
	Morley College
	Moulton College
	Myerscough College
	New College Nottingham
	New College Stamford
	New College Swindon
	Newbury College
	Newham College of Further Education
	Northern College for Residential Adult Education
	PETROC (new name for North and East Devon Colleges)
	North East Surrey College Of Technology (Nescot)
	North East Worcestershire College
	North Hertfordshire College
	North Lindsey College
	North Nottinghamshire College
	North Warwickshire and Hinckley College
	Northbrook College
	Northumberland College
	Norton Radstock College
	Norwich City College
	Oaklands College
	Otley College
	Oxford and Cherwell Valley College
	Peterborough Regional College
	Plymouth College of Art and Design
	Preston College
	Redbridge College
	Richmond Adult Community College
	Richmond upon Thames College
	Riverside College Halton
	Rotherham College of Arts and Technology
	Royal Forest of Dean College
	Runshaw College
	Ruskin College
	Salford College
	SEEVIC (Essex)
	Shipley College
	Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology
	South Downs College
	South Nottingham
	South Staffordshire College
	South Tyneside College
	South Worcestershire College
	Southgate College
	Southport College
	Southwark College
	Sparsholt College
	Stafford College, Staffordshire
	Stanmore College
	Stourbridge College
	Stratford College
	Strode College
	Sussex Downs College
	Tameside College
	Telford College of Arts and Technology
	Thanet College
	The Calderdale Colleges Corporation
	The Henley College
	The Oldham College
	Tower Hamlets College
	Tyne Metropolitan College
	Uxbridge College
	Wakefield College
	Walford and North Shropshire College
	Waltham Forest College
	West Nottinghamshire College
	West Suffolk College
	Weymouth College
	Wiltshire College
	Worcester College of Technology
	Workers' Educational Association
	Working Men's College (The)
	Worthing College
	Yeovil College

East of England Development Agency

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the East of England Development Agency spent on  (a) corporate hospitality,  (b) alcoholic drinks of each type,  (c) food and  (d) conference facilities and room hire in each year since it was established.

Mark Prisk: The East of England Development Agency's (EEDA's) financial reporting systems are unable to separate spend into the four categories above. Information is held on costs for catering, hospitality and corporate entertaining.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Catering  Hospitality  Corporate entertaining 
			 1999-2000 0.00 n/a n/a 
			 2000-01 650.01 n/a n/a 
			 2001-02 44,104.29 n/a n/a 
			 2002-03 12,350.20 3,000 4,650 
			 2003-04 15,784.76 9,418 11,582 
			 2004-05 19,517.80 6,851 32,777 
			 2005-06 22,015.27 6,233 55,409 
			 2006-07 19,703.96 674 35,767 
			 2007-08 28,522.86 9,543 53,465 
			 2008-09 28,579.93 312 18,500 
			 2009-10 21,341.83 n/a n/a 
		
	
	EEDA defines "hospitality" and "corporate entertainment" as expenditure on individuals or groups of stakeholders and partners that is paid for directly by EEDA.

East of England Development Agency

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the East of England Development Agency spent on  (a) internal communications and  (b) external marketing and advertising in each year since it was established; how many staff it employed in each salary band (i) in internal communications and (ii) external marketing communications and advertising in each of those years; and whether the agency had an internal magazine during this period.

Mark Prisk: Please see the following table for details of how much the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) has spent on each of the specific categories requested.
	 (a) Internal c ommunications
	The following amounts were spent on internal communications.
	
		
			  Spend on internal communication 
			  £ 
			 1999-2000 n/a 
			 2000-01 n/a 
			 2001-02 n/a 
			 2002-03 5,000 
			 2003-04 0 
			 2004-05 2,838 
			 2005-06 3,657 
			 2006-07 2,926 
			 2007-08 4,787 
			 2008-09 1,709 
			 2009-10 2,140 
		
	
	Due to the nature of our financial reporting systems, data on spend for the purposes of internal communications cannot be extracted prior to the financial year 2002-03.
	 (b) External marketing and advertising
	EEDA's spend on marketing and communications is listed in EEDA's Annual Report and Accounts. These are published on EEDA's website
	www.eeda.org.uk
	and are available from the Libraries of the House.
	 (c) Staff employed by salary band
	
		
			  Number of staff employed (FTE equivalent) 
			   Internal communications( 1)  External marketing communications( 2) 
			 1999-2000 0 n/a 
			 2000-01 0 n/a 
			 2001-02 0 n/a 
			 2002-03 0 n/a 
			 2003-04 0 n/a 
			 2004-05 0.6 n/a 
			 2005-06 0.6 n/a 
			 2006-07 0.6 10 
			 2007-08 0.6 9 
			 2008-09 0.6 9.2 
			 2009-10 0.6 9.2 
			 (1) The FTE salary band for the 0.6 FTE in Internal Communications is TAC 4 £25,289 - £29,083. (2) External marketing communications is defined as marketing, public relations and communications. Due to the way EEDA retains information on staff and organisational structure, it is not possible to extract information on this prior to the financial year 2006-07. 
		
	
	The salary bands for the 9.2 employees working on external marketing communication roles in the financial year 2009-10 are as follows: -
	
		
			  Number of staff  Grade  Salary band (£) 
			 1 SM1 56,960 
			 1 PM4 48,048 - 53,106 
			 1 PM3 41,727 - 46,784 
			 2 PM2 35,404 - 40,461 
			 3 PM1 29,083 - 34,140 
			 1.2 TAC4 25,289 - 29,083 
		
	
	 (d) Internal magazine
	EEDA has never published an internal magazine for staff. All written communication with staff is electronic, via the organisation's intranet and email systems.

East of England Development Agency

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff members are allocated to maintaining the East of England Development Agency's erebusonline website; and what recent assessment he has made of the value for money derived from expenditure on the website.

Mark Prisk: The maintenance of the East of England Development Agency's (EEDA's) EREBUS (Eastern Region Broadband Uplift Scheme) website amounts to two hours each month for one member of staff.
	The erebusonline website was built internally at EEDA. The development of a scripting tool (to manipulate automated email responses) was commissioned externally and cost: £355.00. The annual fee for hosting the domain for this website is £211.56.
	No assessment has been made of the value for money derived from expenditure on the website. EEDA has received positive feedback from broadband providers regarding the erebusonline website.

Post Offices

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the likely effects on the income of sub-post offices which do not have a national lottery terminal in circumstances in which Camelot's application to offer post office services through lottery terminals is granted; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: Camelot's proposal to provide commercial services through lottery terminals is still subject to the regulatory approval of the National Lottery Commission. If the commission consents to Camelot's proposal, Post Office Limited will carry out an assessment of the impact on sub post offices.

Regional Development Agencies

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what research he has undertaken on the likely effects on the  (a) number of jobs and  (b) economy in each region of his proposals to end regional development agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: Our proposals are for restructuring the delivery landscape for economic development. Replacing the regional development agencies (RDAs) with local enterprise partnerships will ensure that these partnerships better reflect the natural economic geography of the areas that they serve.
	Reorganising the delivery of economic development will ensure a focussed targeted delivery of policy/services in areas where it can have the most benefit, and we would not expect that that this transition will have a negative impact on the economy in the English regions or the number of jobs.

Regional Growth Fund

Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward proposals to allow funding from the Regional Growth Fund to be provided to areas of serious deprivation in regions to which the fund does not apply.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 29 June 2010
	The Regional Growth Fund, launched on 29 June by the Deputy Prime Minister, will create the conditions for growth and enterprise in the regions by stimulating investment and create sustainable private sector jobs.
	The details of the fund and criteria for selection of successful proposals are still to be determined and will be outlined in the forthcoming White Paper on local and regional growth. The fund will, though, apply to the whole of England and bids will be invited from both private bodies and public-private partnerships. Proposals will need to demonstrate high value, bringing in private investment and supporting sustainable increases in private sector jobs and growth in the local area that the proposal covers.

Regional Planning and Development

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which bodies are to have responsibility for  (a) inward investment,  (b) growth,  (c) economic regeneration strategy and  (d) cross-boundary infrastructure projects in each region; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The Government will replace regional development agencies with local enterprise partnerships. We are reviewing all the functions of the RDAs. Some of these are best led nationally, such as inward investment, sector leadership, responsibility for business support, innovation, and access to finance, while others can be scrapped, such as Regional Strategies. Local enterprise partnerships will want to create the right environment for business and growth in their areas, by tackling issues such as planning and housing, local transport and infrastructure priorities, employment and enterprise and the transition to a low carbon economy. The Government have asked for outline proposals from partnerships of local authorities and businesses.
	Further detail will be provided in the White Paper on sub-national growth that will be published later in the summer.

Regional Planning and Development: Yorkshire and the Humber

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which organisation or co-ordinating body will have responsibility for  (a) assisting the creation of new businesses and  (b) developing the private sector in Yorkshire and the Humber; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The coalition Government are committed to reforming our system of sub-national economic development by enabling councils and business to replace the existing regional development agencies. We are encouraging local businesses and councils to work together to develop their proposals for local enterprise partnerships. We anticipate the local enterprise partnerships will wish to provide strategic leaderships in their areas to set out local economic priorities.
	Local enterprise partnerships will therefore want to create the right environment for business and growth, by tackling issues such as planning and housing, local transport and employment and enterprise. Supporting small business start-ups will therefore be important.

Students: Finance

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent estimate is of the effect on the living costs of students of an increase in the rate of value added tax from 17.5 per cent. to 20 per cent.

David Willetts: No estimate has been made of the effect on student living costs of the value added tax increase.